Port Adelaide defender Kane Farrell will not face Richmond this weekend following a low-grade hamstring strain.
Farrell reported hamstring tightness on Tuesday afternoon, with scans later revealing the extent of the injury. The club said in a statement that Farrell will be assessed over the coming days to find the extent of his recovery timeline.
It is a minor setback for Farrell, who was yet to miss a game this season and is averaging career-best disposal figures at 20.1 per game.
In terms of his replacement, Ryan Burton could be a simple straight swap, however the former Hawk still needs to overcome a test for his foot injury. 21-year-old utility Josh Sinn presents as a potential inclusion too, but also faces a test on a quad injury.
Ken Hinkley could shuffle the magnets to make room for Mitch Georgiades, who returns from a one-week suspension after a striking incident against the Bulldogs.
However, Georgiades could also come straight in for Todd Marshall if he fails to pass a test on his hip injury from last week's Gold Coast's clash, while veteran Jeremy Finlayson has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a lacerated spleen.
Rolling Dan Houston into Farrell's role could provide an opening for key defender Esava Ratugolea too, the former Cat recording a team-high six marks in the SANFL last Saturday.
Port Adelaide will sorely miss Farrell in their clash against Richmond, with the medium defender recording 27 disposals and 596 meters gained in his Round 2 outing against the Tigers. The Power surged past a defiant Richmond outfit in March with a six-goal burst in the fourth quarter to boost their 2024 campaign.
Port Adelaide now sit ninth on the AFL ladder and are outside the eight on percentage, with this match a prime opportunity to reclaim their spot inside the finals window. The game begins at 7:30pm (AEST) on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval.
